Are you tired of seeing the California Almond
industry presented in a bad light in the media? Do you want to help inform the
public about the many positive contributions of California almond growers to the
state's economy and environment? If your answer is Yes, then please consider
participating in the Almond Board of California's "Good Neighbor"
community outreach program.

What
is the "Good Neighbor" program?

This proactive media outreach program provides
media training to almond growers on important production and environmental
issues, allowing them to engage with local media on a wide range of timely
topics. This outreach effort will match up growers in the community with smaller, local media
outlets so we can educate our friends and neighbors about the many
environmentally friendly steps almond growers are taking to produce a
sustainable food product.
The "Good Neighbor" program's objective is to maintain the trust
and goodwill of our neighbors by sharing almond growers’ positive environmental
stewardship efforts and economic contributions, while correcting misinformation
about almond growing practices

Media training sessions are being held
throughout the almond growing region. At these sessions, participants will learn
about the educational material the Almond Board has prepared, based on grower
funded research, on timely topics such as water use, water quality, pesticide
use, harvest dust and bees. Once participants are trained as spokespersons, the
Almond Board will "pitch" individual stories to local media outlets and
then work as a liaison with the grower and the media to develop the story. "Good
Neighbor" spokespersons will have full access to the Almond Board's vast
resources on a wide variety of topics so that they will be fully prepared for
the interview.

The Good Neighbor program launched in
May 2014 in the Central Region and has enjoyed great success. Here are links to
articles that were published as a result of the Good Neighbor program:

Your participation is critical to the
long-term efforts to inform the public about the almond industry’s positive
contribution to the economy and the environment. If you would like to become
involved in this proactive media relations and community outreach effort, please
contact either communications consultant Mark Looker at (209) 604-9709
marklooker@yahoo.com or
the
Almond Board's Jenny Nicolau, Senior Specialist, Industry Relations at (209)
343-3248 or email
jnicolau@almondboard.com.